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Extreme cold moving in: Windchill to be in single digits with Tuesday's wind

By MARCUS RAUHUT

Updated:
01/21/2013 03:16:44 PM EST

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Ariana Naugle, 8, tries to stay warm outside Monday during a break from school in Chambersburg on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Cold weather mixed with periods of snow is forecast. Temperatures are expected to drop to around 10 degrees, Tuesday night. With Tuesday afternoon's winds, expect the windchill factor to be in single digits along the southcentral part of the state.

Ariana Naugle, 8, tries to stay warm outside Monday during a break from school in Chambersburg on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Cold weather mixed with periods of snow is forecast. Temperatures are expected to drop to around 10 degrees, Tuesday night. With Tuesday afternoon's winds, expect the windchill factor to be in single digits along the southcentral part of the state. (Publiic Opinion, Markell DeLoatch))

CHAMBERSBURG -- Franklin County, along with the rest of the Northeast, is in for a cold shock.

This is traditionally the coldest week of the year, according to Accuweather, though after a warm 2012 and mild start to winter, this will be the coldest it's been in a long time.

Day-time highs in the region aren't expected to break freezing for the next few days, and overnight, we may see our first single-digit temperatures in two years.

The National Weather Service is expecting highs in the 20s this week in Franklin County. Tuesday and Wednesday night, lows will be around 10 degrees.

The end of the week will only be slightly warmer, with overnight lows in the teens.

The last time single-digit temperatures were recorded in Hagerstown, Md., was Feb. 23, 2011.

As cold as that seems, it will have be even colder to set any record. The coldest Jan. 22 on record was a -12 degrees in 1984, according to Hagerstown weather observers.

The arctic blast will be accompanied by strong winds Tuesday, creating some bitter wind chills. Forecasters at the National Weather Service warn that afternoon wind chills will stay below zero across northern and western Pennsylvania and in the single digits in the southern and eastern parts of the state.

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Marcus Rauhut can be reached at mrauhut@publicopinionnews.com and 262-4752, or follow him on Twitter @MarcusRauhutPO.

Extreme cold tips

Auto tips from AAA: Be sure all battery terminals and connections are clean and affixed tightly.

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In extreme cold, your vehicle's battery needs all the power it can get. Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up. Be sure you have the proper amount of antifreeze in your vehicle. If door locks are frozen, be sure to warm the key or use a lock de-icer.

Pet tips from Accuweather: Dog clothes aren't just for dressing up a pet to make it look cute. Many breeds, especially short-haired pups, won't fare well for long when they are cold and wet. Make sure to bundle them up and don't leave them outside for too long.

Home tips from the CDC: If you plan to use a fireplace or wood stove for emergency heating, have your chimney or flue inspected each year. Also, if you'll be using a fireplace, wood stove, or kerosene heater, install a smoke detector and a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector near the area to be heated. Test them monthly, and replace batteries twice a year.